


Reindeer Games (2005)

by JennyB



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Challenge fic, Crack Prompts, First Time, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-14
Updated: 2005-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-16 00:52:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1325617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The gang plots to get Jou what he wants most of all for Christmas... Let the games begin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**`Twas a week before Christmas  
And through Domino,  
Everybody seemed happy  
Except for poor Jou…**

Jounouchi Katsuya smiled as he leaned against the white picket fence that surrounded the `North Pole' display in the mall. A little girl, perhaps no more than five, shyly approached Santa Claus and timidly clambered into his lap. Beckoning the saint down, she whispered in his ear what she wanted for Christmas, beaming in delight when the chubby man chuckled, nodded, and handed her a candy cane. Clutching her sweet tightly in her small fist, she leaned up, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then ran down the ramp and back to her mother. When Santa met his eye, Jou nodded in greeting to him, and then met him at the end of the ramp. "Hey Hon'," the blond grinned. "Looks like business is good…"

Honda smirked. "Well, `tis the season, ne? Come on, I want to get this beard off; it itches like you wouldn't believe!" The two proceeded to the mall administration office, and Jou waited outside while Honda slipped in to change. When the stocky brunet returned a few minutes later, he grinned at the smirking blond. "What's so funny?"

"Listen."

Honda cocked his head to the side and then shrugged. "It's Christmas music; so what?"

The blond's smirk widened. "Yeah…"

"I still don't see what's so funny about it."

Jou rolled his eyes. "Hon', it's _`O Come All Ye Faithful'_ …doesn't that make you think of a giant orgy or something?" The blond sang the first line, and then with a grin and a lusty moan, he cried out, "Yes, yes, oh God, yes!" and received an elbow to the ribs from Honda in return.

The brunet snickered at his friend, shaking his head. "You're such a pervert. So anyway, I was thinking of heading over to Otogi's about six. You're staying over, right? Want a ride?"

At the mention of the raven-haired CEO's party, Jou's expression became more melancholy. "Yeah, I guess so."

Honda stopped and looked at his friend. "What's with you, man? You've been all mopey for the past two weeks!" He smirked and draped a friendly arm over Jou's shoulders. "Come on, little boy; tell Santa what it is you want for Christmas."

The blond's lips curved up into a small smile as he shoved the brunet away from him with a fond, "Fuck off, ass!" Jamming his hands in his jacket pockets, he sighed heavily. "Seriously Hon', it doesn't matter what I want. I won't get it anyway."

Honda's eyebrows shot up in interest. He had never known Jounouchi to give up so easily, even when the odds were against him. "How do you know that for sure?" the brunet persisted. When the blond didn't respond, he stopped and looked at his friend. "Come on, Jou; we've been buds for how long now? Tell me what it is."

The blond shook his head. "No. You'll just laugh at me and think it's stupid."

"When have I ever told you something you thought was stupid?" Honda retorted indignantly.

Jou gaped at him. "Are you fucking serious? You tell me that every day!"

"Yeah, well…then I promise I won't laugh."

The shorter one stopped and gave a cursory glance around them. A slight blush colouring his cheeks, he said lowly, "All I want is a kiss…from Kaiba."

"What?" Honda exclaimed, wincing in pain as he was immediately silenced by a hard punch to the arm from Jou. Dropping his voice, he asked, "Since when do you like Kaiba?"

Jou's blush deepened as he murmured, "Look, I just do, ok? Now you see why I won't get what I want, ne?"

A small smile curved across Honda's kind features. "Well Jou, Christmas is a magical time; stranger things have happened. Come on, I'll buy you a hot chocolate." As the two walked towards the coffee stand, the brunet's hazel eyes turned contemplative. Somehow, he would see his best friend's wish come true.

* * *

Jou tugged absently at his collar for what felt like the hundredth time since arriving at Otogi's place. He hated the dark, navy blue, three-button suit he was wearing, but more than that, he hated the dark burgundy tie that was currently around his neck. To him, it felt more like a noose than an accessory, and as he yet again felt his throat constrict, he pulled at the collar once more. He glared at Honda as his friend walked by, carrying a bowl of peanuts to set on one of the cocktail tables. The stocky brunet had told Otogi what he had confided to him, and after the green-eyed man had assured him that yes, Kaiba would be there, Jou had stationed himself in the entrance to the Great Hall, watching for any sign of the blue-eyed brunet.

Honda caught Jou's eye and waved; the blond merely scowled. Granted, he hadn't sworn his friend to secrecy, but then again, he hadn't expected Honda to tell Otogi, well renowned as a giant blabbermouth. "Hey, relax," Honda soothed as he finally joined Jou in the archway. "It's still early; other than Yugi, Yami, Anzu and Ryou, no one else is here yet."

"I know you're fucking him, but I can't believe you told Otogi," Jou hissed at his friend, his scowl dissolving into a resigned sigh when he saw the hurt look in Honda's hazel eyes. "I'm sorry, Hon'. It's just, well, you know…"

Before the other could respond, there was a commotion in the foyer, and then Bakura, Marik and Malik entered. The white-haired spirit was carrying a large plate which he presented to Otogi with a flourish. "'Treats' for our host, compliments of Marik and myself," he purred, his brown eyes glinting in amusement. He watched as the raven-haired man pulled off the aluminum foil to reveal a dozen anatomically correct gingerbread men, all coupled up on the plate, and all in the midst of performing various sex acts on one another.

After overcoming his initial surprise, Otogi shifted his gaze to Honda. "Hey, this gives me some great ideas; what about you?" he called out licentiously, a large, Cheshire cat grin on his face.

Honda's cheeks flushed pink, quickly turning bright crimson when Anzu, who had yet to be informed of his latest `relationship', studied the plate and asked innocently, "Why are there no gingerbread girls?"

"Why Anzu," Bakura purred lecherously, "Had I known you swung that way, I'd have prepared some females just for you."

The petite brunet gasped and blushed in embarrassment as she finally understood the significance of the spirits' `gift'. "Pervert!" she hissed as she smacked him in the chest, much to the delight of Marik and Malik.

"Ooh, she's _feisty_!" Malik teased.

"And she didn't deny it, either!" Marik continued.

"Indeed," Bakura replied with a dark chuckle. Leering at Anzu, he said, "She'd make a _fine_ addition to our nightly games, ne?" When both Marik and Malik nodded in unison, Anzu gave a snort of disgust and stormed off to find Yugi, ignoring the raucous laughter from behind her.

Otogi, after making a show of violating one of the cookies with his tongue in thanks, set the plate off to the side and showed his guests into the Great Hall, dropping a libidinous wink at Honda as he passed.

"Classy one you got there, Honda," Jou teased, chuckling when the brunet gave him the finger. "It's sad though," the blond continued, sighing softly as he leaned on his best friend. "Even the fucking cookie gets more attention than me."

"Yeah, but from what I hear, the gingerbread man's a slut; he'll let anyone eat him," Honda quipped, eliciting a small chuckle from Jou. He grabbed two cups of eggnog from a passing steward's tray and handed one to the blond. "Kanpei!" he toasted before the two of them drained their glasses. Twenty minutes and several `toasts' later, both were feeling very warm and very content. Otogi came and stole Honda away to `help in the kitchen' with something, just as a pretty redhead came and propositioned Jou for a dance.

Ever the gentleman, the blond accommodated the young woman, and when the dance was over, he bowed politely and returned to the archway. It was then that he saw Kaiba. Jou's breath hitched in his throat as his eyes roved over the svelte form, impeccably dressed as always in a midnight blue double-breasted suit, grey-blue silk dress shirt, and slightly darker silk tie. He dropped his gaze and swallowed harshly, finding his throat suddenly dry as he wracked his brain to think of a reason to go over and talk to the brunet. When he looked up again, he couldn't keep his cheeks from pinking as he found himself staring into a pair of intense, sapphire blue eyes.

Kaiba's heart raced as he surveyed Jou's form in much the same way the blond had assessed him just moments before. Jounouchi had always been easy on the eyes, but dressed as he was, the brunet found him absolutely stunning. The lightweight wool draped perfectly across his body, and despite being `off the rack', the fabric had been tailored in such a way that it accented his lithe form. Reluctantly, he returned his gaze to Jou's face, only to catch a glimpse of green and white. He let his eyes flick up to a point just over the blond's head, a small smirk curving across his lips as he narrowed his gaze in challenge.

His amber eyes widening slightly, Jou looked up and let out a small groan of disbelief as he felt a mixture of fear and anticipation flutter through his stomach. He was standing underneath a sprig of mistletoe that had been strategically placed in the archway; Kaiba had caught him, and now, judging by the impish smirk on the brunet's face, he was going to collect what was owed him. 

"Hey, Love-Muffin," Otogi purred as he came over and draped an arm around Jou's shoulder, placing his other hand possessively on the blond's chest. "Looks like I caught you with your pants down…or in this case, with your luscious lips under the mistletoe." He chuckled softly as he traced his finger along Jou's cheek. "You know that Hiroto's the only man for me, but hey, this is one of the Laws of Christmas, ne?" he whispered sensually in the blond's ear.

"Otogi, will you piss off?" Jou hissed lowly, trying to peer around the shorter man to make sure Kaiba was still there. "I was in the middle of something!"

"Uh-uh," Otogi smiled. "Not until I've claimed my prize. Don't worry though; I won't use tongue." Before the blond could say another word, the raven-haired CEO cupped Jou's cheeks in his hands and kissed him soundly on the mouth, lightly skating his tongue along Jou's bottom lip. "Ok, so I lied about no tongue." Otogi licked his lip slowly, and then added, "And you're sweet, like Hiroto, but with a tad more spice. Now, what was so important that you were so eager to brush _me_ off?" Keeping his arm slung around Jou's neck, he turned around to meet the furious gaze of his competitor.

Kaiba was practically seething with jealousy as he locked eyes with Otogi. And, when the green-eyed man's lips curved up into an arrogant smirk, the brunet found he had an overwhelming urge to grab him, tear out his still-beating heart, and show it to the conniving son-of-a-bitch before he stomped it into oblivion. 

"Oh, _Seto_!" Otogi greeted, his voice sickeningly saccharine as he stared defiantly into the icy gaze. "I didn't know you'd arrived yet!"

"That doesn't surprise me, considering you were busy with your _toy_ ," Kaiba remarked, the frigidity in his voice sending an uncomfortable shiver through Jou. His expression was glacial as he met Jou's pleading, amber eyes and, pushing down the hurt he felt, he added, "I wasn't aware, _Ryuji_ , that you'd lowered your standards. Guess that's the best you could afford, ne?" The brunet saw how deep the remark had cut Jou, but he stood his ground; it was too late to back down now, and Otogi needed to be put in his place.

Before Otogi could respond, Jou held up a hand to silence him. He could feel Honda's eyes on him from across the room; he didn't have to look to know that his best friend wore an expression of sympathetic pity. In his discomfort, the blond focused on the cheerful music and the happy laughter of those around him, and although he tried, he was unable to keep his face from heating in a mixture of hurt and embarrassment. Once again, he'd been made painfully aware of his low-class upbringing, and once again, he realized that yes, Kaiba _was_ too good for someone like him. Not bothering to meet the gaze of the still-glowering brunet, he nodded sadly and said lowly, "You know what? Screw you, Kaiba." Humiliated beyond words, he angrily shoved Otogi's restraining arm off his shoulder and murmured, "In fact, to hell with you both." Feeling hot tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, he walked stiffly from the room.

Neither Otogi nor Seto moved to follow Jou. The two CEO's maintained their stare-down, Otogi smirking and Kaiba seething. Finally, Honda came over, grabbed Otogi by the arm and, with a forced bow, excused the two of them from the conversation. The stocky brunet dragged Otogi into the hallway, pushing him down a darkened corridor, and finally shoving him against the wall, anger flashing in his hazel eyes. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he hissed. "You know God damned well that Jou likes Kaiba! I _told_ you that he did! Why the hell would you _do_ something like that?"

"Hiroto, relax," Otogi purred as he wrapped his fingers around the other man's hands and gently tugged them free from his suit lapels. "I may not be as rich as Kaiba…yet, but I am a damned good businessman, and I make my money by being able to read other people." 

"What's that got to do with anything?" Honda asked angrily.

He smirked mischievously as he brushed himself off and smoothed down his clothing. "Don't be so dense, Hiroto. Kaiba wants Jou, too…he just doesn't know it yet. Didn't you see the look he gave me when I got between him and Blondie?"

"For your sake, you'd better be right," Honda growled. "Jou's hurting right now, and if you don't fix this, I'll _never_ forgive you."

"Trust me, Babe," Otogi murmured as he snaked his arms around Honda's neck and drew him down for a kiss, gazing sensually at him through half-lidded eyes. "Would I lie to you?"

* * *

Jou leaned on the railing that fenced off the large back patio. The lawn had been bedecked with lights, grapevine reindeer, and several tall, elegant pine trees. Even the patio had been decorated – the large, four-foot plastic candy canes and rope lighting gave a holiday feel to the area. Through the tears that gathered on his lashes, he thought the lights looked exceptionally pretty – kind of like stars. A high-pitched giggle from behind him startled him, and as he swiped surreptitiously at his eyes, he turned around and saw three bikini-clad women frolicking in the hot tub that had been inconspicuously tucked into the corner. He recognized the one woman – the redhead he had danced with earlier that evening. She spotted him and waved him over.

"Hey, Cutie!" she teased, giggling again when Jou's cheeks pinked slightly. "I never introduced myself before. I'm Ani, Otogi-kun's secretary. This is Ume and Pei." She pointed to a woman with long, white-blond hair and a brunette in turn. "Why don't you join us? It's so gorgeous out there, and so warm in here!"

Jounouchi's blush deepened at the proposition. "Uh, thank you, ladies," he stammered, "But I didn't bring a bathing suit with me…"

"That's ok," the one named Pei purred. "It's dark out here, and we promise not to peek…much." This brought forth another wave of giggles from the other two women, and caused Jou to flush crimson.

"Oh Pei, stop being such a tramp!" Ume scolded, her sparkling eyes betraying her reproachful words. "Otogi-kun's got `pool wear' set aside for his guests just over there," she said to Jou, pointing towards a small change room. "Trust me; you'll feel _much_ better once you can forget all your troubles and relax a bit."

The blond worried his lip for a moment in contemplation. He was starting to feel a little chilled, and he _certainly_ didn't want to go back inside yet. Plastering a lopsided grin on his face, he teased, "Alright; but you ladies have to behave yourselves…I'm kind of interested in someone already." His felt his heart lurch slightly as he spoke the words.

The three women looked at each other, and then burst into giggles. "Oh, _Honey_!" Ani said in amusement. "The three of _us_ are already together, so you don't have a _thing_ to worry about!"

He gave them a sheepish grin before he went to change, returning a few moments later wearing a pair of bottle-green swim trunks. Climbing into the warm water, he smiled at the three women, sinking down to his shoulders and feeling the tension melt from his body as the heat fully penetrated him. "Thanks, ladies," he said after several minutes had passed. "This was a great idea."

The four chatted amicably for a half an hour, and by the time Ani sighed and said that they had to get back to the party, Jou was feeling considerably better. He gave each woman a friendly hug and, after they had disappeared back inside, he splayed his arms out along the top edge of the tub, leaned back, and closed his eyes, letting his body float weightlessly in the water. Contentedly, he allowed his mind to wander, trying to imagine what it would have felt like had Kaiba kissed him instead of Otogi. He could practically feel those perfect, soft, supple lips on his when suddenly he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders pushing him under the water while at the same time, another pair of hands tugged at his shorts. Panicked, Jou tried to struggle back to the surface to get another breath of precious oxygen, completely forgetting about hiding his modesty. Panic turned to horror as he felt himself stripped of his swim trunks, and then, the hands released him and he was above water, coughing and spluttering. He brushed his dripping bangs from his eyes just in time to see Bakura and Marik, both bare-chested, and standing triumphantly just out of arm's reach. The white-haired spirit was proudly swinging the green shorts over his head like some sort of grotesque trophy.

Just then, Malik burst forth from the changing area, a large bundle in his arms. "I got it all, guys! Clothes, towels, bathing suits – everything!" The other two snickered delightedly and took off after Malik, Bakura leaving a dripping trail of water behind him as he ran.

"God damn you, Bakura!" Jou shouted indignantly, nearly standing up to go after them, and remembering his state of dress at the last moment. "When I catch you, I'm going to fucking kill you! All of you!"

"You've got to catch us first, Jou!" Bakura called back over his shoulder. "No hard feelings and Merry Christmas," he chuckled as the patio door clicked closed with a resounding finality.

"Fucking bakas," Jou muttered as he sank back down into the water. "I can see why Otogi invites Bakura, since he's with Ryou…but the other two? And by now, you'd _think_ he'd know better than to let _any_ of them into the eggnog. Jackass." For what seemed like an eternity, Jou sat in the water, a sour expression on his face as he contemplated his situation. Fortunately, the room he was staying in wasn't too far away from his present position, but still… A small smirk crept across his lips as he once again surveyed his surroundings. Desperate times called for desperate measures; he just prayed that he wouldn't get caught.

* * *

Kaiba was making his way to the bathroom when he saw Bakura, Marik and Malik run past him. It looked like the two blonds were carrying a bundle of laundry, and Bakura had something green and wet cradled in his arms. Chalking it up to mindless stupidity on their part, he continued on his way, hoping to find Jounouchi before he took his leave for the night. He had not seen the blond since had walked away from him and Otogi, and Kaiba hoped to find him and apologize for what he'd said. He was just making his way back to the Great Hall when he heard a door slam, and Jounouchi's unmistakable voice hiss, "I'm going to _kill_ those three bastards." The brunet pressed himself into the shadows, watching in mild amusement as the blond ran past him down the hall, _very_ naked, with a large, plastic candy cane pressed deliberately, and awkwardly, against his groin. Kaiba smirked as he realized what had happened, and as he leaned forward to watch Jou's ass disappear through a door to what was presumably his room for the evening, he chuckled softly. "And after _that_ show, I'm going to _thank_ them…" 

As Kaiba moved into the main hallway, two figures stepped out of a darkened alcove. A pair of emerald green eyes glinted in amusement while the hazel ones stared in shocked disbelief. "I told you so, Hiroto," Otogi said smugly as he straightened his tie and refastened his pants.

"Yeah, well, you don't have to be a pompous ass about it," Honda replied, tucking his shirt back into his trousers and then slipping his jacket back on.

"Hn," the raven-haired man teased. "You liked my pompous ass well enough about ten minutes ago when you were having your way with it."

The stocky brunet flushed slightly in embarrassment, and then gave Otogi a playful shove. "Don't be a jerk. So, this makes it easy; we just tell Jou and…"

" _Hiroto_!" Otogi interrupted, the exasperation evident in his voice. "You said it yourself; Jou's hurt. Do you really think he's going to go to Kaiba now, _regardless_ of what we tell him? No, it has to be _Kaiba_ that makes the next move." He furrowed his brow in concentration, and then a slow, sinister smirk made its way across his face. 

"I don't like that look; tell me what you're plotting," Honda insisted, his mouth turning down into a sulky scowl.

"In good time, in good time!" Otogi replied dismissively, grabbing the brunet's hand and dragging him back to the Great Hall. "Just as soon as I find Bakura, Marik, Malik, and the others."


	2. Chapter Two

**`Twas three days before Christmas;  
** The gang had a plan  
To do what they could  
To land Jou his man… 

Kouyu Emi was one of three secretaries assigned to Kaiba Seto. She looked up in surprise when a gigantic gift basket was hefted up onto her desk, scattering papers everywhere. Emi was speechless; she had no idea that one could have a basket made up that was that large – it had to be three feet across, and at least that high. Hesitantly, she reached out to read the tag, only to give a startled yelp when a warm, supple hand grasped hers. "Ah, ah! No peeking, my dear!" a male voice drawled, and then she was immediately drawn into a pair of sparkling, emerald green eyes. A faint blush spread across her cheeks when soft lips pressed against the back of her hand in greeting.

"Hello, Gorgeous," the raven-haired man purred, a flirty smile on his lips. "I'm Otogi Ryuji; President and CEO of the Black Crown. I'm here to deliver a little Christmas cheer to Kaiba-san. If you could just point me in the direction of his office, I'd be _ever_ so grateful."

"I-I'm sorry, Otogi-san, but Kaiba-sama left very explicit instructions that he's not to be disturbed this afternoon."

"Well, surely you can make one _teeny_ exception in this case; I'm sure he'd just _love_ to see me, one CEO to another." He picked up his bundle and staggered towards Kaiba's closed door.

"Otogi-san, no!" Emi hissed. "If you go in there, he'll fire me for sure!"

"And if he does, I'll hire you in a heartbeat. _I'd_ treat you like gold…just like I do all my ladies. Trust me; if he fires you, I'll take you on and…double your salary." Taking her stunned silence for permission, he twisted the knob and pushed the door open with his hip, setting the basket down on the floor as he kicked the door closed behind him with his foot. "Merry Christmas, Kaiba-kun," Otogi called out brazenly, chuckling at the incredulous, and obviously irritated, expression on the brunet's face.

"How the hell did you get in here?"

"Through the door, of course." Hearing the warning growl from Kaiba as the brunet stood and came around to the front of his desk, he elaborated, "I had the nicest chat with your pretty, little secretary out there; charming woman, really. I'd love to hire her out from under you, but that wouldn't be in keeping with the season now, would it?"

The brunet opened his mouth to respond, and then narrowed his eyes and levelled his gaze at the other. "Don't try to play me, Otogi," he hissed. "What the hell are you _really_ doing here, and what is that monstrosity on the floor?"

"I already told you, Kaiba, I'm here to wish you a Merry Christmas," he purred as he slunk over to the brunet and teasingly traced a finger down Kaiba's tie. "You know, show you that there are no _hard_ feelings between us?" The raven-haired man looked slightly affronted when Kaiba irritably slapped his hand away from him, and he let his emerald eyes travel back over to the parcel on the floor. "As for _that_ ," he continued, pointing a finger at the basket, "What does it look like?"

"An eyesore?" the brunet quipped coolly as he returned to his desk and sat down, pulling out a pen as he resumed reviewing his papers. "Take it, and you, and get out of my office." He jumped slightly as the basket was tossed onto his desk, causing his normal, well-written signature to appear as a random squiggle on the page.

"Aren't you even the _least_ bit curious what's in here, Seto?" Otogi taunted as he all but stretched himself out along Kaiba's desk. "I made it special for you…" He picked up the end of the ribbon and gave a slight pull, feigning surprise when the bow slithered undone. "Oops," he purred sensually as he met the brunet's impassive gaze. "Guess you'll have to look inside after all, ne?"

Quirking a warning eyebrow at the other, Kaiba peeled back the multi-coloured layers of cellophane, dreading what he was going to find when Otogi's smarmy grin widened. At first, the gifts seemed to be fairly innocuous. He pulled out a large box of Scottish shortbread and a half-dozen innocent gingerbread figures, glancing suspiciously at his now-grinning rival. The brunet's lips curved down into a small scowl when he found a magnum of Dom Perignon, a box of Italian Amedei Porcelana chocolate truffles, a small jar of Sterlet caviar, and a tin of smoked oysters. "Something on your mind?" Kaiba asked snidely, immediately picking up on the symbolism of the items.

"Hn. Always," Otogi drawled as he gave the brunet a libidinous wink, easing himself up onto the desk and indulging in a languorous stretch. "Why, are you interested?" he asked as he slowly licked his bottom lip.

"Don't flatter yourself," Kaiba snorted as he pulled out the final package – a shoebox sized carton that had been covered in garish, holo-foil crimson paper and tied with a large, silver ribbon. He removed the wrapping, and when he peered in the box, he loosed an irritated growl. "And just what the hell am I supposed to do with _these_?" he demanded as he held up a pair of red satin bikini briefs trimmed with white marabou fur and a bottle of peppermint flavoured massage oil.

"Whatever strikes your fancy, I suppose," the raven-haired man replied with a shrug. "I'd love to help you try them out, but as you well know, there's only one man for me, and he's _delicious_." He let his gaze rove lewdly across the brunet's body. "Then again, just because I've chosen my dish, it doesn't mean I can't look at the menu; maybe try an appetizer?"

Kaiba felt his hackles rise. "Stay the hell away from him, Otogi," the brunet hissed dangerously. "If anyone is going to have him, it'll be _me_."

"You?" Otogi echoed incredulously as he gave an arrogant chuckle. "My, my, you _are_ making the rounds this season, aren't you? He'll be so pleased to know you're interested in him, too. Who knows, Seto…maybe Hiroto and I can include you the next time we're together?"

"Back off," Kaiba snarled. "That'll be the day I share with… Wait a second. Did you say `Hiroto', as in Honda Hiroto?"

"Of course, Seto! Why?" Otogi replied with mock-innocence. Green eyes glinted mischievously as his grin widened. "Who did you think I was talking about?"

The brunet flushed slightly; partly at the near-admission of his crush on Jounouchi, and partly at having been tricked into outing himself by _Otogi_ of all people. "Never mind," he muttered, turning to look out the large floor-to-ceiling window that sat behind his desk. In the reflection, he could see the raven-haired man's  
Cheshire cat grin, and he groaned inwardly. Not bothering to face him, Kaiba said calmly, "If you tell _anyone_ about this, I will personally ruin you."

Otogi's lips curved down in a petulant pout. "Now why would you think such a thing?" he sulked. "I come all the way down here to bring you a nice present, and you immediately think I'm up to no-good. Hell, Seto, even a curmudgeonly old crank like you deserves some happiness over the holidays."

The brunet turned around to stare at his rival CEO in shocked disbelief, the apology dying on his lips when Otogi's face broke into a wide grin. "Whatever," he replied dismissively as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, don't be like that, Seto," Otogi chided as he draped a friendly arm around Kaiba's shoulder. "You know, 'tis the season, peace on earth, goodwill toward your fellow man, and all that other crap, ne?" He chuckled when he saw the small smirk quirk the brunet's lips upwards. "Come on; it's nearly 6:30. Let me buy you a round of Christmas cheer."

"I don't think so," Kaiba responded coolly. "First off, I'd rather _not_ be seen in public with you if I don't have to, and second, I –"

"Don't be such a bitch!" Otogi interrupted exasperatedly, startling the brunet into silence. "One drink; that's all I'm asking for. And if you don't want to go as friends, then we can go as two CEO's who mutually respect each other and want to see each other succeed…" He trailed off when he heard a stifled snicker. "What the fuck is so funny?"

"Ryuji, if you believe that crap, then you deserve a drink. Come on; let's go before I change my mind."

Otogi grabbed the basket off Kaiba's desk and together they walked to the elevator. As they were riding the car to the lobby, Otogi offered, "Don't worry about calling your car; mine's right out front. Besides, it'll be quicker this way, ne?" The brunet nodded, immediately regretting his decision when he saw the raven-haired man's vehicle. Parked at the curb was a brand new Hummer H1 that had been lifted slightly, and had been decked out with Lexani spinner wheels, and enough chrome to plate a small town.

"Jesus," Kaiba muttered as he gaped at the vehicle, snorting in disgust when he saw the license plate that read, `DICEKING'.

"Pretty sweet, ne?" Otogi crowed as he loaded Kaiba's things into the back. "I just picked it up last week. Customized through and through. Everyone will know I'm coming when they see this baby – aw, damn it!"

"What's wrong?" the brunet remarked dryly. "Did you finally realize that you look like a pretentious ass driving this?"

"Fuck you, Seto," Otogi replied humourlessly. "I got a God damned parking ticket! That bitch parking attendant told me I could park here!"

Again, Kaiba laughed. "Baka. Did you not notice the '10 minute time limit' sign? This is a delivery zone – for loading and unloading."

"Well, that's what I was doing!" Otogi replied indignantly. "I was _delivering_ a package to you!"

"Yes, but no one told you to hang around and flap your gums for another 45 minutes," Kaiba drawled, chuckling again when Otogi scowled and gave him the finger. "Ooh, that hurts, Princess," the brunet remarked acidly. "Now drive, or I'm going home."

Wordlessly, Otogi put the vehicle in gear and pulled out into traffic. After they had gone a couple of blocks, the raven-haired man flipped on his stereo, smirking in satisfaction when he saw Kaiba scowl at the choice of music. Ten minutes later, they parked outside a large, dark building. `Amataro' was written in gold stencilled letters over the door, and the brunet frowned as he read the word. 

"Are you kidding me?" Kaiba asked as he climbed from the vehicle. "I thought we were going somewhere for a drink; somewhere quiet and professional, and close to our offices. This is –"

"A club," Otogi interrupted impatiently. "Yes, I know. Relax, Seto. I simply have a small investment in this property and I like to entertain clients here – it tends to lower their inhibitions." He grinned lewdly at the brunet. "You should try it sometime." Kaiba replied with an indignant snort, and Otogi's grin widened as he held the door open for his colleague.

Once inside, Kaiba quirked an eyebrow in surprise, pleased at the overall tastefulness of the establishment. All the fixtures were done in gloss black and polished chrome; even the floor had been done in a gleaming black tile. The bar itself was built of smoke-coloured glass block and was backlit with electric purple neon lighting. There were very few patrons inside, and the music was low and permitted conversation. "This isn't like any club I've ever been to."

"You've been to a club?" Otogi remarked dryly, eyeing the brunet in obvious disbelief. "Did you go voluntarily, or was it some bullshit public appearance for KaibaCorp?" Seeing the threatening scowl, the raven-haired man said, "It's still early; the real fun doesn't start until after 8:00, but you should be long gone by then. At this hour, we cater to the business elite – the affluent ones who are looking for someplace posh to entertain others over cocktails and a light supper." He placed his hand on the small of Kaiba's back and steered them over to a secluded alcove, giving an appreciative, sub-vocal purr when he felt the taut muscles flex beneath his fingers. If nothing else, Jounouchi certainly had a good eye and impeccable taste. The raven-haired man smirked…if only he wasn't already involved with Honda, he'd certainly go toe-to-toe with the blond for the stoic CEO; besides, he loved a challenge, and Kaiba presented _that_ in spades.

"You're late," a callous voice called out to them, pulling Otogi from his daydream and drawing an irritated curse from the brunet.

"Bite me, Bakura," Otogi quipped as he nudged Kaiba into the cozy, circular booth and slid in right beside him before the brunet could find some way to escape. "I said _around_ 6:30, and besides, I like to be fashionably late. Since when have you been so concerned about punctuality anyway?"

"Since I had to sit here for twenty minutes waiting for your sorry ass!" the white-haired spirit scowled. "Didn't help that I had to behave myself with _him_ sitting here, too…" He jerked his head towards Marik.

"I'm sorry," Otogi oozed, a contrite smile on his face. "I'm sure I can find some way for Hiroto and me to make it up to you…" He trailed off, a small frown creasing his brow. "Where is Honda, anyway?"

"He and Jounouchi went shopping," Marik piped up. "Bet they look like a couple of girls prancing around the mall," he added with a snigger.

Bakura snorted in amusement. "Yes, apparently, Jounouchi needed to find a gift for his sister. I suggested a crimson, vinyl cat suit for the holiday, but he wasn't too enthusiastic about it. Nevertheless, they're supposed to be at Honda's when they've finished."

"I'm sorry to break up this Hallmark moment," Kaiba interrupted, forcibly pushing Marik away from him as the blond tried to lean against him, "But I have better things to do with my time. Excuse me." He moved to stand, only to have Otogi grab his arm and gently ease him back down onto the bench. 

"Relax, Seto; don't get your panties in a twist. Now what do you want?"

"Cosmopolitan," Kaiba replied after a moment's silence. "With extra lime."

Otogi nodded. "Great. And I'll have a blue lagoon. Bakura, do you think you could be my special little man and get the drinks for me?"

The former tomb robber scowled petulantly. "Do I look like your fucking bitch?" he growled, glaring daggers at the raven-haired man.

"Please?" Otogi begged, giving the white-haired man his most sincere look. "I'd go myself, but I have a guest to attend to." He smiled when Bakura slid out of the booth, cursing silently under his breath as he went to the bar. Turning apologetically to Kaiba, Otogi gave the brunet a simpering smile. "Ignore him; he gets cranky when he hasn't been laid." His smile widened when he saw Kaiba smirk.

Bakura returned a few minutes later, irritably slamming the tray down on the table. Quickly, he handed drinks to everyone, and then dropped sulkily back into his place. A grin slowly spread across the tomb robber's face when Marik slid next to him and began to rub his hand along his thigh. It widened and turned malicious as he watched the brunet take a sip of his drink, completely ignoring the pair as he engaged Otogi in conversation. After about five minutes, the two spirits quietly slipped out of the booth, Marik taking the car keys Otogi offered him and surreptitiously palming them as he and Bakura headed outside.

A crooked smile crept across Kaiba's lips as he took another sip of his drink. As much as he hated to admit it, Otogi had been right – this place really _was_ relaxing; already, he could feel the tension slipping away from him. He gazed at the raven-haired man through half-lidded eyes as he propped his elbow up on the table and leaned his cheek against his palm. "Thanks, `togi," he slurred, his grin widening slightly. "You might be a pain in th' ass, but this was a good idea."

"Oh, I know it was," Otogi replied with a sultry purr. "You have no idea just _how_ good it is…but you will – soon." His lips curved upwards as he saw the glazed over, unfocused haze creep into the usually clear sapphire eyes. "So tell me, Seto," he continued, keeping careful watch of the brunet's face, "What do _you_ want for Christmas this year?"

Kaiba scowled and he gave a contemptuous snort, his standoffish mask crumbling as a small giggle escaped him. "None of your business, `togi," he drawled, punctuating his statement by clumsily prodding the raven-haired man in the chest with his finger. "Don't think I'm going to get it anyway, thanks to _you_ ," he added petulantly. "Why'd you have to go an' interfere?"

"Hn," Otogi smirked as he leaned back against the booth, his posture as arrogant and confident as it was relaxed and flirty. "Seto, why don't we go see Jou? I'm sure he'd be pleased to see you."

"You think so?" the brunet asked seriously as his head perked up, completely unmindful of the raven-haired man's pointed statement. "I dunno, `togi, `cause I said some pretty nasty things to him last time we spoke…"

"Hmm, that _is_ true, and Jou _does_ tend to take things a bit personally," Otogi replied, furrowing his brow in mock concern and biting his cheek to keep from sniggering. "You know," he continued, his green eyes widening as though he'd suddenly been struck by an idea, "If you play your cards right, I'd bet we could get Jou to forgive you; what do you think? Do you want us to help you?"

"Serious?" Kaiba exclaimed as he excitedly leaned towards his companion, knocking his empty glass over in his exuberance.

"You bet," Otogi replied as he turned towards the entrance, his eyes narrowing as he scowled. "Just as soon as Bakura and Marik come back, we'll go, ok?"

The brunet nodded, and for the next ten minutes, he proceeded to chat Otogi up on a variety of subjects. The conversation consisted of no more than a few prattling, sometimes-ambiguous sentences, at which point a new thought would strike him, and Kaiba would steer the discussion in a completely random direction. The brunet no longer seemed to care that the raven-haired CEO wasn't participating in the dialogue, and he happily rambled on, much to Otogi's chagrin.

`Where the fuck did those two go?' Otogi wondered sourly. Glancing at his watch for the fifth time in two minutes, he sighed in relief when the two spirits came back inside, both of them looking incredibly dishevelled and wearing matching, smug, satisfied grins. "You just couldn't wait, could you?" Otogi scowled.

"Screw you, Otogi," Bakura replied. "You told us we had about ten minutes to kill, so we decided to make `effective' use of our time."

"No, screw _you_ ," the raven-haired man hissed back. He paused to look at Seto, who was wearing a sardonic smirk and wavering slightly in his seat. "While you two have been out fucking in the back of my  
SUV, _I've_ been sitting here listening to the babbling wonder. Now come on; we don't have a lot of time." Otogi slid out from behind the table, grabbing on to Seto when the brunet clambered to his feet and swayed dangerously, giggling giddily as he did so. "Ok, Chuckles, let's go," the smaller CEO said as he wrapped a steadying arm around Kaiba's waist and led him towards the washroom.

Once the four of them were inside, Otogi and Marik helped the brunet into one of the stalls while Bakura locked the door. "Here," Marik said as he pulled the red satin briefs out of his coat pocket and handed them to Kaiba. "Change into these, and then put your coat back on, and we'll be on our way."

"Ok," the brunet said agreeably as he shrugged out of his jacket and loosened his tie. Otogi and Marik stepped out of the stall and held the door closed, the blond tapping his foot impatiently while they waited.

After five minutes had passed, Otogi knocked on the stall door. "How're you making out in there?" When there was no reply, he and Marik exchanged looks. Pushing open the stall door, Otogi growled in frustration. The brunet was sitting on the toilet, half-dressed and fast asleep, his head resting against the wall. "Fuck," he muttered as he and Marik managed to wrestle the taller man back into the main area. "Damn it, Bakura, just how much of that shit did you give him?" Otogi demanded as he tried to prop the brunet up and support his weight against his hip.

Bakura shrugged non-committally. "I don't know; the whole vial, more or less."

Emerald green eyes widened in shock. "The _whole thing_? Jesus Christ, you were supposed to relax him, not kill him!"

"Calm down," Bakura replied impassively. "I've given _Ryou_ a much larger dose, and he always seems to bounce back in a few hours. Kaiba's bigger; I'm pretty sure he'll be fine."

" _Pretty sure_?" Otogi parroted back incredulously. "You're a fucking idiot, do you know that? What the fuck are we supposed to do now?"

The white-haired man rolled his eyes and snorted impatiently. Pushing Otogi out of the way, he grabbed hold of Kaiba and began unfastening the brunet's belt buckle. "We proceed to plan B," he growled.

* * *

Pain. That was the first thought Kaiba Seto had when he blinked open his eyes, fighting back a wave of nausea as his senses were assaulted by the intense pounding in his head. Slowly, the throbbing abated and he became aware of something cushioned, yet slightly abrasive, underneath him. He ran his fingers along the floor and realized that he was sitting on some sort of coarse, wool blanket. His brow furrowed in confusion. The last thing he remembered was sitting in that club with Otogi, Bakura and Marik, and then…

His mouth turned down into an irritated scowl. Otogi. Whatever was going on, undoubtedly the raven-haired CEO was behind it, and as soon as he managed to find the bastard, Kaiba knew he was going to wring his scrawny, little neck. He moved to fully sit up and felt his head brush against something firm yet yielding. Frowning, he used his hands to blindly `feel out' his prison, determining after a couple of moments of exploration that he was in an oversized cardboard box. The dimensions did not allow him to sit fully upright, nor did they permit him room to stretch out completely. Were he to hazard a guess, he would have predicted he was in a large, television carton. Kaiba became more and more annoyed as more and more questions presented themselves to him. _Why_ had he been put in a box, _where_ was he, and _what purpose_ did all of this serve? With an aggravated huff, the brunet leaned back and tried to figure out what to do next. He heard a small commotion in the room outside, and tempering his anger for the moment, he paused to listen.

"…already told you, Otogi – no gifts. You really shouldn't have." It was Jou's voice.

"Yes, Ryuji," Honda echoed, sounding strangely upset. "You _really_ shouldn't have! In fact, I remember _telling_ you not to! So did Yugi and Anzu!"

"Will you calm down, Hiroto?" Otogi snapped coolly. "Yugi and Anzu get upset if you put sprinkles on vanilla ice cream! They're the two most boring people on the planet; of _course_ they'd object. Although I had thought _you'd_ have been a bit more supportive!"

"Otogi, what did you do?" Jou asked suspiciously over Honda's contemptuous snort. "Did you do something that's going to get me in trouble? I'm trying to _forget_ about all the shitty things I did as a kid, not relive them!"

"Jou, Jou, Jou," Otogi purred, his voice dripping with sincerity. "You _know_ I wouldn't do anything to bring you harm. I simply found something for you that I knew you'd absolutely _love_ to have, and took the necessary steps to make sure you could have it. _Trust_ me; you'll be thanking me when you see it."

As Kaiba sat there in stunned silence digesting what he'd just heard, he became aware of a few faint beams of light entering the container from the outside. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the rays were coming through what appeared to be breathing hole. The notion of him being packaged up like some sort of pet only served to fuel his growing rage, and when he wriggled an exploratory finger through one of the openings and felt the smooth, sleek wrapping paper on the outside, he was positively seething. But, when Jou approached the box and teased, "Hey, `togi, what's with the holes? This thing gonna leak, or did you get me a pet?" the last of Kaiba's self-restraint snapped.

"I am _not_ your pet, or _anyone's_ pet, for that matter!" the brunet snarled as he furiously clawed at the top of the box, pushing the lid open and standing up to glower at the assembled group.

"K-Kaiba?" Jou stammered in horrified disbelief, his eyes immediately flicking over to Otogi, who seemed slightly disappointed at how the `big reveal' was progressing. "You kidnapped fucking _Kaiba_?" Jou hissed, his incredulity wearing off as his mind processed the brunet's current attire, which nearly short-circuited the blond's brain. "Oh my fucking God," he deadpanned, unable to stop staring. "Otogi, what have you done?" Kaiba was no longer wearing the crisp, professional suit he had gone to work in that morning. He was now clad in the infamous red satin bikini briefs that left _very_ little to the imagination. A perky, red satin bowtie had been fastened around his neck, and plastered right on top of his head was a large, shiny, red foil bow. The blond turned an intense shade of crimson and forced his gaze to the floor, finding himself speechless and incredibly embarrassed for the brunet.

"So, what do you think?" Otogi pressed.

"Are you for fucking real?" Jou shouted. "What the hell would make you think that I'd want _that_? You need help; serious help! This is the sort of shit Bakura and Marik would dream up and think is a `good idea'!" 

Honda cleared his throat. "Well, actually…"

Jou's eyes widened. "Holy shit! You told Marik and Bakura too?" he interrupted. Grabbing his friend's arm and Otogi's shirt front, he dragged both men out of Honda's living room and into the entrance foyer. "I can't believe this; I _fucking_ can't believe this! If it's not mutual, then it's not legit!" Jou ranted. "Stay here; don't move - either of you! If you do, I swear to Christ, I'll beat the shit out of you both!" Heatedly, Jou stormed to Honda's room, quickly grabbing a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt and bringing them to Kaiba. "Here," he said gently as he handed the clothes to the brunet. Making sure his voice was loud enough for Honda and Otogi to hear him, he added, "I'm sorry that I have a bunch of _idiots_ for friends."

Kaiba, who had managed to catch a glimpse of himself in the reflection of the patio doors, was positively livid. "Yes, well, it _takes_ one to _know_ one, ne?" he snapped coldly as he jammed his arms into the shirt sleeves and angrily tugged it over his head. "And stop staring at me, Baka. The idea of those three morons touching me is already making me want to throw up; I sure the hell don't want you ogling me like I'm some back-alley whore. It disgusts me." Kaiba tore the red bow from his forehead and crumpled it in his fist before dropping it to the floor.

The blond's cheeks heated in a mixture of shame and hurt as he forced his eyes to the floor. "But Kaiba, I –"

"You _what_?" the brunet snarled, lashing out unthinkingly in his blind fury. "You thought you could get your kicks before I woke up? Thought that I'd be ever-so-grateful at being treated like an object? Thought I'd willingly fuck you if you got my mind messed up enough?" He snorted contemptuously. "In your dreams, Jounouchi. The only thing you're going to get from me is a visit from one of my attorneys, just as soon as I can figure out the best way to destroy you completely. After all, you can't get nothing from _nothing_ , ne?"

Jou felt his blood run cold and fought back the overwhelming desire to vomit. Even though he'd _obviously_ had no part in the implementation and execution of the plan, Kaiba still blamed _him_ for it. Nodding slowly, the blond looked up and gave the brunet a sad smile. "Not that you care, but dreams are all I have, Kaiba…and you know what? Even those suck." Turning his back on the taller man, he returned to the foyer.

Honda and Otogi, who had been talking in harsh whispers, fell silent upon seeing the blond. Wordlessly, Jou opened the closet door and pulled out his coat, slipping his arms into the sleeves. "To be fair," Otogi began, "He _did_ willingly agree to the outfit." He received a warning elbow to the ribs from Honda.

"Only because you fucking _drugged_ him!" Jou barked at him, his amber eyes flashing with anger, hurt, betrayal and repulsion. "Look, I'm so pissed at you guys right now that I don't know what to do!  
Maybe I'll give you a call tomorrow." He moved to open the door, only to be stopped by a slender hand on his. Jou turned to meet Otogi's pleading, emerald gaze.

"We were only trying to help; get Kaiba to lower his defences a little."

"Well, mission accomplished, Otogi," Jou muttered as he shrugged off the raven-haired man's grasp. "Oh, wait; no…you blew up all over the launch pad! After your little stunt tonight, and Kaiba's bullshit in there, forgive me if I don't smile like a moron and take you at your word. Happy fucking holidays."


	3. Chapter Three

**`Twas the night before Christmas,  
** Jou was blue, with good reason.  
His dreams had been crushed  
On this holiday season. 

Jou rolled his eyes and snorted in contempt as he watched the credits begin to roll. For the past two and a half hours, he'd been watching `It's a Wonderful Life' on television, and seeing George Bailey's life come together in one big, heart-warming, Hallmark moment made him want to retch violently into his bowl of popcorn. He heard a noise from the hallway and looked up, his expression a mixture of amusement and nausea as he saw Yugi and Yami dressed in identical black cotton twill slacks, white mock-turtlenecks, and scarlet cable-knit sweaters. The spike-haired men must have felt his eyes upon them, for they simultaneously turned to smile at their friend.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Jou-kun?" Yugi asked softly as he slid his arms into the sleeves of the coat that Yami was holding out for him. There's still plenty of time for you to change; all I have to do is call Anzu and tell her we're going to be a little late picking her up."

"Who's all going to be there?" Jou asked flatly, moving his gaze back to the television.

"Everyone," Yugi answered. "Yami and me, Anzu, Miho, Ryou and Bakura, Honda and Otogi –"

"I'm sure," Jou interrupted, burrowing himself deeper into the cushions of the sofa.

Yami sighed heavily. "Jou, you can't keep hiding here and –"

"I _said_ I'm not interested," the blond snapped, narrowing his eyes and levelling a warning gaze at _both_ of his roommates to back off. He heard Yami sigh again, and then the former pharaoh slipped on his own coat without another word.

"If you change your mind, Jou-kun, just give us a call on our cell phone. We'll be over at Honda's, and then maybe Anzu's."

"I won't," Jou replied coolly, flopping back on the cushion when he heard the front door to their townhouse click shut. The blond knew that his recent anti-social behaviour towards his friends was childish, but he also wanted to be angry – and stay angry – at those responsible for his foul mood. For the past two days, he had done nothing except brood on the sofa in front of the television, or sulk under the duvet in his bedroom. 

Honda had called him at least a half dozen times, trying to apologize for Otogi's actions, but Jou had always hung up on him as soon as Yami or Yugi would hand him the phone. And even more, although he had stormed off to his room at the time, he had to admit that he had been impressed by Ryou. The normally soft-spoken, kind hearted man had been beside himself with fury when he had heard from Yugi what had happened, and he had literally dragged Bakura over to Jou's house by his ear and demanded he apologize. After receiving a harsh twist to his lobe and a growled, "Do it," the scowling spirit had reluctantly, and very insincerely, muttered how he deeply regretted the incident. 

Jou's moods had shifted between defiant anger and melancholia; yet try as he might, he still couldn't bring himself to forgive Kaiba for the things that he'd said. And the bitch of it all was that he still cared for the brunet, _despite_ how deeply he'd been wounded. Perhaps if Kaiba had bothered to call him, even once, Jou might have felt differently. However, as it stood, he had little, if any, use for his crush anymore. At least that's what he continued to tell himself.

Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was nearly dinner time and, as if on cue, his stomach stalwartly demanded to be fed, _despite_ the copious amounts of junk food he had been eating all day. Unenthusiastically, he padded into the kitchen, wrinkling his nose in disgust when all he could find in the freezer was a Swanson frozen turkey dinner. While he was waiting for the oven to pre-heat, the telephone rang. He figured it had to be one of his friends calling; probably to plead with him to change his mind and join them for _their_ Christmas Eve dinner. The blond was tempted to leave it ring and let the answering machine pick up, until he saw an unfamiliar number on the caller ID. "'Lo?" he answered dully.

"Hello, Jounouchi," a commanding tenor voice greeted from the other end, sending both an involuntary shudder of delight up the blond's spine and a stab of pain through his heart.

"Kaiba," Jou acknowledged coolly as he tossed his meal into the oven and returned to the living room, once again taking up his position on the sofa. "What do you want? I'm busy."

"Do you have a minute to talk?" 

There was a weighty pause, and just as the brunet started to ask his question again, the blond sighed. "I suppose so. Make it quick." He began to idly flip through the channels, his concentration divided between the television and the telephone.

"I thought you'd have gone to Honda's soiree tonight," Kaiba stated casually, obviously confused by the blond's self-imposed solitude.

"How the fuck did you know about that?" Jou snorted, rolling his eyes as `Miracle on 34th Street' started to play on yet another channel.

"Yugi called to invite me," the brunet responded. "So, why aren't you there?" he pressed.

"Because I have better things to do, alright?" Jou snapped irritably, muting the TV so that he could give Kaiba his undivided attention, and the full brunt of his anger. "Now, do you have a point to make or not? If you do, get on with it. If not, quit wasting my time."

The brunet cleared his throat. "I uh…I wanted to…apologize for the things I said when last we spoke. I don't remember _ever_ being that angry, and I may have overreacted a bit."

" _MAY HAVE_?!" Jou shouted back at him. "You can fucking shove your apology! _I_ was the only one who felt embarrassed for you at having been put in that situation, yet _you_ had the nerve to accuse me of being some kind of fucking pervert!" The blond snorted in disgust, and then sneered waspishly, "You're not sorry for making me feel dirty and cheap, but you're sorry for overreacting? Well, that's fucking lovely. At least you can sleep with a clear conscience tonight, ne? Get bent." Before Kaiba could respond, Jou disconnected the call and scowled at the small, portable phone as if the whole mess was somehow its fault. Thirty seconds later, the cordless rang again, and when Jou saw it was Kaiba's number, he pointedly ignored the device and turned the sound back up on the television. After four rings, the answering machine took the call, and once the generic greeting had played, Jou heard the brunet's voice.

"You know damn well that's not what I meant! Stop being childish and pick up the phone. I _know_ you're there. I think we need –"

Irritably, Jou turned the answering machine speaker off, and then stormed into the kitchen and turned the ringer off for the telephone base. Finally, he picked up the handset and stuffed it underneath a couple of throw pillows that rested haphazardly on the neighbouring armchair. `There,' he thought, feeling strangely satisfied with his act of defiance. As he sank back down into the cushions, his sense of smug triumph slowly transformed into one of melancholy loneliness, and he found that he felt worse than what he had before Kaiba had called. Apathetically, he resumed his channel surfing, finally settling on the cartoon version of `How the Grinch Stole Christmas', finding himself, for the first time in his entire life, identifying with the curmudgeonly green creature. The Grinch had just reached the top of Mt. Crumpit and Jou was silently urging the villain on, _despite_ knowing the outcome of the story, when he heard a knock at his door. Curiously, he perked his head up at the sound, and then dropped it back onto the armrest. All of his friends were either at Honda's party or had keys to the townhouse, so whoever it was could right piss off, in his opinion. However, a few moments later, the knock resumed, this time louder and more insistent. 

With a put out growl, the blond hauled himself off the couch and, as he approached the door, he silently vowed that if it was someone soliciting for _anything_ , he was going to personally hand them their heart on a silver platter. He threw open the door, prepared to give whoever it was a piece of his mind, only to gape in stunned surprise at what he saw. 

Leaning arrogantly against the porch railing, his arms folded cockily across his chest, and a smug smirk on his face, was Kaiba. The brunet was dressed in a form-fitting, black leather snowsuit and black leather racing gloves, a red Santa hat perched impishly on his head. "Merry Christmas, Jounouchi," he drawled.

"Cute," Jou snarked. "What the hell are you doing here, Kaiba? I thought I was pretty clear that I _didn't_ want to talk to you…"

"Crystal," the brunet remarked, his smirk widening. "Unfortunately, I've never been good at doing what I'm told; perhaps that's why I'm so frequently on Santa's `naughty' list."

"Whatever," Jou quipped coolly. "What's with the gear, then? Making penance so you don't wind up with a load of coal in your stocking? Not that you can't buy whatever you want anyway…"

"Actually, this year I _have_ to be good; what I want can't be found in a store. So yes, I'm making amends by delivering gifts."

The blond snorted. "What did you ask for? A heart?" He glared at the brunet. "Look Kaiba, I'm in the middle of some stuff, so see you around." 

He started to close the door, when the brunet moved to stop him, his playful expression turning serious as he asked, "Don't you want your present?"

"If it's a dog collar or a leash, or some other bullshit thing to further humiliate me, save it. I'm not interested."

"It's not, I swear it. Look, can I just come in and talk to you for a minute?" 

Jou stared at him, his brow furrowed in thought. The brunet _seemed_ sincere, but Kaiba was exceedingly good at mind games…

"Do you smell smoke?" Kaiba asked suddenly, drawing Jou from his musing.

"Fuck you, Kaiba. Har har; you just made the lamest joke in the world – wood burning because Jounouchi's thinking." The blond scowled petulantly.

"No, seriously; I smell smoke. Is something burning?"

As if on cue, the smoke detector began wailing, and Jou's eyes went wide. "Fuck!" he exclaimed as he ran into the kitchen and grabbed his now-smouldering meal from the oven, yelping out a curse as he burned his fingers on the leaking gravy. He tossed it into the sink and turned the cold water on, watching in dismay as what was to have been his evening meal either oozed down the drain or sat in a blackened lump at the bottom of the basin. " _Fuck_!" Jou echoed, banging on the counter top for emphasis. He heard a noise behind him and turned to see Kaiba standing in the kitchen doorway, his expression one of amusement and sympathy.

"You weren't seriously going to eat that, were you?"

"Well, the thought _had_ crossed my mind," Jou said sourly. "But I guess that plan's moot." He paused, suckling on his injured fingers and letting his gaze travel across Kaiba's form once more. "I don't remember asking you to come in."

The brunet sighed. "No, you didn't. And I don't blame you for being angry at me; I said a lot of things I didn't mean, and then I dropped that excuse for an apology on you…I'm surprised you're still talking to me at all." He crossed the small kitchen, pulling off his gloves as he did so. "Let me look at that," he said, reaching for Jou's injured hand.

The blond pulled away as though Kaiba's touch was hurting him. "It's fine," he said dismissively. "I do this kind of crap all the time; it'll be a distant memory by morning." He stopped when he saw the hurt look in the brunet's eyes, and rolling his own, he stuck his hand out for Kaiba to examine. He gave a small, pleasured growl when he felt the soft, cool fingers brush against his own, scrutinizing his wounds. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, and to stave off his blush, Jou cleared his throat and asked, "So, what's this `present' you have for me?"

At his question, Kaiba dropped the blond's hand and met Jou's gaze and, in all seriousness replied, "Me."

"You?" Jou echoed incredulously, studying the piercing, sapphire eyes for any hint of subterfuge or malice. Finding none, he was unable to keep the colour from flooding his face this time. "Oh," he said simply, staring stupidly at the floor for a moment before moving to shut off the still running faucet. "And what the hell am I supposed to do with you?"

The brunet shrugged. "Whatever you want, I suppose; but before that, I had planned on taking you for a ride with me, maybe talking for a bit."

Jou quirked an eyebrow. "And if I refuse?" he replied obstinately, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I wasn't giving you the option," Kaiba said matter-of-factly. "I didn't come all the way down here to simply return home in defeat." He let his eyes rove across Jou's form, taking in his flannel sleep pants and light cotton t-shirt. "Let me put it to you another way," he continued, seeing the confused light in the blond's amber eyes and then glancing down at his watch. "You have two minutes to find something appropriate to wear and change into it. One way or another, you _are_ going to talk to me; whether it's willingly or by force, it's entirely up to you." His expression remained sombre and he gave Jou a look that, quite explicitly, let the blond know he meant what he said.

For a moment, Jou remained stubbornly in place, glaring defiantly at the brunet. "You can't make me do shit!"

Kaiba arched an eyebrow as the smug smirk returned to his face. "I've made men more powerful than you or me bend to my will because I wanted them to. If you want to waste your time arguing with me, that's your choice, but you have a minute and a half remaining."

"Fuck," Jou muttered. He'd seen that unyielding look in the brunet's eyes on many occasions, and as much as he hated to admit it, Kaiba was right. Hurriedly, he tore down the hall for his room, and the sound of drawers being slammed, along with the occasional, muttered curse, wafted into the kitchen. When the blond re-emerged with ten seconds to spare, he was clad in a pair of well worn jeans, a white t-shirt with a cream-coloured, half-zip, polar fleece pullover layered overtop, and thick, woollen socks. As he tugged on his boots and slipped his arms into the sleeves of his heavy, winter parka, he grumbled, "That limo ride had better be worth it."

"Not this time, I'm afraid," Kaiba said with a chuckle. "Let's go."

Together, Jounouchi and Kaiba walked outside, the blond giving a sharp gasp as the cold night air sucked his breath away. "Holy crap, it's freezing!" Jou exclaimed as he jammed his bare hands into his pockets, his teeth already starting to chatter.

"Funny thing about winter, ne?" Kaiba replied tauntingly, smirking as he caught the blond giving him the finger. "It isn't bothering me."

"No, that's because you're the Ice King," Jou muttered to himself, a petulant scowl crossing his lips. "Ass." He stopped in his tracks when the brunet led him to a brand new, black ski-doo Mach Z X racing snowmobile. "You have _got_ to be shitting me!"

Kaiba merely snorted in amusement as he slipped the sleek, black helmet over his head, handing a second one to Jou once he had fastened it. In one fluid movement, the brunet straddled the sled, glancing over his shoulder at the stupefied blond standing ankle-deep in the snow, the spare helmet still in his hands. "Well?"

Hurriedly, Jou jammed the helmet onto his head and slid in behind Kaiba, instantly feeling his whole body flood with warmth – whether it was from the heat generated by the man in front of him, or for some _other_ reason, Jou wasn't entirely sure. He had never been this close to the brunet before – well, not by invitation, anyway. "I'm ready," he called out.

"Then hang on," Kaiba advised as he brought the engine to life.

"I'll be fine," Jou answered, casually resting his hands on the back `sissy bar'. While he'd never actually _been_ on a snowmobile before, he'd ridden on the back of Honda's motorcycle dozens of times; it really couldn't be _that_ different, he surmised.

"Suit yourself," the brunet responded with a chuckle as he deliberately over-revved the engine, causing the front end of the sled to pick up in a mini wheelie.

"Fuck! _SETO_!" Jou shrieked in terror as he was jerked violently backwards, reflexively grabbing the brunet around the waist and holding on for dear life.

Kaiba let out a sub-vocal purr as a jolt of electricity shot through him. It was one thing to have the blond's hands wrapped around him, but when he heard his name spoken in Jou's alto, even if it _was_ in panic, it was bliss. He eased off the throttle, and as he sped through the now-deserted streets, Jou's death-grip relaxed a bit. After a few minutes had passed, the blond started to slide his arms from around Kaiba's waist and back to his own lap. Dropping one of his hands from the handlebars, the brunet pressed his palm against Jou's fingers, staying their retreat and silently implying that the blond's hold was just fine as it was.

Jounouchi gasped softly, his body tensing as he felt the gloved hand against his bare one. His breath caught in his throat completely when he felt the fingers briefly intertwine with his own to give a small squeeze, and then move back to the handlebars. Now thoroughly confused, he numbly maintained his grasp on Kaiba, his mind reeling with unasked questions and conflicting emotions. Torn between snuggling closer and putting maximum distance between them, Jou finally opted for not moving at all. The evening had been surreal, to say the least, and as the blond attempted to distract himself by looking at the scenery that _wasn't_ seated directly in front of him, he furrowed his brow in puzzlement. He _knew_ this area, but at the moment, he just couldn't place it. However, when he saw the imposing, wrought iron gates, and watched in stunned silence as they slid effortlessly open to admit the sled, all doubt was assuaged as he finally realized _exactly_ where he was. Kaiba's house.

Wordlessly, the brunet shut down the snowmobile, removed his helmet, and climbed off, leaving Jounouchi sitting stock-still on the seat. He walked a few paces and, when he turned back around, he saw that the blond was still in the exact same position he'd left him, save for having removed his helmet. His eyes glinting mischievously, Kaiba crouched down and scooped up a handful of snow, forming it into a small, tight ball. Smirking, he tossed the frozen sphere, chuckling when he managed to peg the blond off the side of the head, jolting him from his stupor.

"Why the fuck did you do that?" Jou demanded as he got to his feet, shaking the powder from his hair.

"Because I could," Kaiba replied arrogantly, a taunting smirk on his lips. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Fucking prick," Jou grumbled as he angrily scooped up a handful of snow. Ignoring the cold sting on his hands, he formed it into a ball and hurled it at Kaiba, who easily dodged it.

"You throw like a God damned girl, Jounouchi!" the brunet goaded, chuckling when the blond tried again and missed by a good two feet. Kaiba threw another snowball at Jou, hitting him right in the chest. "Here, I won't even look this time," he teased. He turned around and placed his hands defiantly on his hips. When he saw Jou's snowball sail over his head, Kaiba turned around and said jeeringly, "You really _are_ pathetic! What about the house? Do you think you could hit _that_? Maybe if I let you stand three feet from it?" He flung another snowball at the blond, hitting him square in the ass as Jou tried to dodge.

The more the brunet taunted him, the angrier Jou got. This in turn caused his aim to get progressively wilder, and after a dozen such misses and a dozen equally irksome comments, the blond had had enough. With an enraged growl, Jou flung himself at Kaiba, catching the taller man off guard and knocking him to the ground. "I'll show you fucking aim!" he muttered as he pinned the brunet's arms with his knees and proceeded to pack snow into the auburn tresses and down the front of Kaiba's jacket.

Kaiba tolerated the blond squashing fistfuls of snow into his hair, but when he felt the frigid liquid hit his warm skin and trickle around his neck and down his back, he'd had _more_ than enough. He sat up quickly, using his momentum to catch Jounouchi off guard and knock him backwards. With cat-like reflexes, the brunet moved to pin Jou, settling his weight on his chest and holding the blond's hands above his head in an iron grip. "That's quite enough of that, don't you think?" Kaiba purred calmly, smirking into the wide, amber eyes. "I mean, if you _want_ to sit out here and talk, that's fine with me, but," he continued, his gaze momentarily flicking up to Jou's raw, red hands, "I really don't think it's the best environment."

"Yeah, well, you started it," Jou groused petulantly, having long-since given up trying to struggle free from Kaiba's grip. 

"And now I've ended it, just as it should be," the brunet said crisply, the faintest trace of a smile ghosting across his features. "Come inside; there's a fire in the living room and I'll get you something to eat. I believe I have some things for entertaining."

Shivering slightly, and not _entirely_ from the cold, the blond nodded. "You think you could get me a towel?" When he saw the curious look Kaiba gave him, Jou elaborated. "My ass – it's soaked through and God help me if I ruin your furniture or carpet."

Kaiba climbed to his feet and offered his hand to the blond, easily pulling the shorter man up, and smirking at the faint blush that coloured Jou's cheeks when he bumped into him. "I think we can arrange something," he replied, a secret thrill flooding through him as he watched the first few snowflakes from the forecasted winter storm drift silently to earth.

* * *

Upon entering the house, Kaiba gave Jou a pair of black cashmere pyjamas to wear while his clothes dried, and then showed him to the bathroom to change. When the blond returned to the living room a few moments later, he gaped in stunned surprise at the veritable cornucopia of treats the brunet had set out. Aside from the requisite Christmas shortbread, fruitcake and gingerbread, there were crackers, cheese, cold meats, smoked oysters, caviar, and some Italian chocolates that Jou had never heard of. 

Kaiba saw the blond's intrigued expression as his eye roved over the table, and with an amused snort, the brunet said, "Most of the items were part of a `gift' from Otogi."

Jou's posture stiffened slightly at the mention of the raven-haired man's name and, as he slathered some of the Sterlet onto a cracker, he shrugged and said, "Doesn't matter. Otogi's a kinky bastard, and may be an idiot sometimes, but at least he's an idiot with good taste."

"Understatement of the year," Kaiba drawled as he deftly uncorked the bottle of Dom Perignon and poured a glass for Jou and then for himself.

"Champagne?" Jou queried as he took a tentative sniff of the glass, giving a small sneeze when the bubbles assaulted his nose. "What's the occasion?"

"It's nearly Christmas?" the brunet offered, chuckling at the dubious expression on the blond's face. "Alright then, we'll drink for good luck – in whatever it is you may want."

That had been three hours ago. Now, it was shortly before midnight and Jou indulged himself in a luxurious stretch on the white bearskin rug, wriggling his bare toes into the soft fur. Smiling contentedly, he rested his head on the edge of the coffee table and looked over at the brunet, admiring how the light from the fire brought out the copper and auburn in his hair, and made his normally icy sapphire eyes seem warm and inviting. He supposed that the Dom Perignon had had a little something to do with that too, but only insofar as it had lowered Kaiba's inhibitions to where he wasn't hung up on being a pompous ass.

"What?"

The deep tenor voice drew Jou from his reverie and, lifting his head slightly, he replied absently, "Hmm?" A soft smile curved across the brunet's face, and Jou wondered whether he had ever seen anything as gorgeous as that simple, genuine grin.

"This is the third time I've caught you staring at me in as many minutes," Kaiba explained. "I'm just wondering _why_ you're staring."

A faint blush crept across Jou's cheeks and he grinned coyly. "No reason," he answered, forcing himself to concentrate on the tiny bubbles dancing merrily in his glass.

"Hn," Kaiba replied, regarding the blond thoughtfully for a moment before his smile widened. Slowly, he prowled over to where Jou sat and, resting back on his heels, he murmured, "As long as I've known you, Katsuya, you've never done _anything_ for `no reason'."

The blond's face flooded with colour as he tried to stammer out a response. Suddenly, the brunet's words hit him, and his mouth dropped open in shock. "You just called me `Katsuya'!"

"So I did," Kaiba chuckled softly. "Consider it a payback for when you called me `Seto' on the snowmobile."

"What?!" Jou exclaimed. "The only time I've ever called you _that_ is when I'm…uh…" He trailed off awkwardly, his face turning a bright crimson as he murmured, "Never mind."

"No, tell me," Kaiba purred, edging ever closer to the blond. "I never said I minded it, did I? Now enlighten me; _when_ do you speak my name?" When Jou remained obstinately silent, the brunet's lips quirked into a playful grin. "Alright then; if you want me to guess, I will." By now, Kaiba was mere inches from the blond, sitting directly in front of him. He narrowed his sapphire eyes as if in deep concentration, the rakish smile still in place. "I don't think it would be around your friends or at school… nor would it be when you're out in a social setting…" The brunet leaned closer to Jou and, as he grasped the blond's chin in his hand and forced the smaller man to meet his gaze, his expression became suddenly serious. His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he said, "No, I think you're all by yourself, Katsuya…alone in your room…maybe the lights are off…am I close?" He heard Jou's breath hitch slightly in his throat, and watched the amber eyes darken while the soft, pink tongue flicked out to moisten suddenly dry lips. Kaiba felt his pulse quicken as he drank in the vision before him, and using his own, private fantasies as fuel, he whispered in a darkly sensual voice, "Do you imagine I'm there, Katsuya? Do you pretend that the hand roaming across your body, moving progressively, yet _painfully_ slowly downwards is mine? What do you say when you _finally_ get to feel the infinite pleasure of touch to your most _intimate_ parts?"

The blond let out a long, low moan as his eyes fell shut. "Oh fuck, Seto," he groaned, trying his damnedest to not reach down and palm his aching arousal.

"Yes, Katsuya," Kaiba murmured, lowering his mouth to claim Jou's with a soft, lingering brush of lips. As he pulled away, he heard the grandfather clock chiming midnight in another part of the house. "Merry Christmas."

Slowly, Jou's eyes slitted open, the long, golden lashes brushing against his cheek as he gazed licentiously at the brunet. As if in a dream, the blond pressed his fingers to his lips, and with a small growl, he whispered harshly, "More."

Chuckling, Kaiba cupped Jou's cheeks in his hands and, as he pressed his lips to Jou's once more, he leaned his weight forward, easing the blond down onto the rug. Stretching out languidly beside him, Kaiba made his kisses more aggressive, but still soft. Playfully he ran his tongue along Jou's bottom lip, groaning appreciatively as he was granted access to the moist heat therein. As the brunet thoroughly explored every inch of the blond's mouth, savouring the sweet taste, he slipped one hand under Jou's pyjama shirt, his elegant fingers stroking across the firm planes and dips of his chest. Breathlessly, Kaiba ended the kiss, feeling his need growing as he gazed at the blond's tousled locks, his kiss-swollen lips, and his glazed, lust-filled eyes. How he wanted to claim that willingly submissive body, just as he had countless times in his dreams…

"More, Seto…I want more."

The sultry plea brought the brunet from his reverie, and as he looked into the hungry, beseeching expression, he loosed a low, feral growl. "How much more, Katsuya?"

"All of it; I want it all."

His hand trembling with desire, Kaiba skated his fingers to the waistband of Jou's pyjama pants. Drawing in a shuddering breath to try and calm his racing heart, he slid the tips just under the elastic. He felt his arousal twitch as his hand brushed against Jou's cock, the searing heat sending a jolt of electricity through his body that was more intense than anything he had ever experienced. "Can I see you?" the brunet asked, his voice low, almost reverent as he continued to caress the impressive length.

"Only if I can see you," Jou replied huskily, a faint tinge of pink colouring his cheeks.

As another hungry moan slipped from his lips, Kaiba slowly unbuttoned the blond's shirt and then hooked his thumbs into Jou's pants and tugged them from his body. As he stared at the long, lean form before him, the firelight giving the tanned skin a gleam like burnished gold, Kaiba nearly came on the spot. Quickly divesting himself of his own clothing, he lay down beside the gorgeous blond, once again finding his mouth and claiming it with a bruising kiss.

For several moments after, the two explored each other in silence, hands, lips, teeth and tongues saying far more than any words ever could. At some point, the brunet had excused himself, returning moments later with a small bottle that he had never imagined putting to any use.

The blond smelled the sweet, clean fragrance of peppermint, but before he could ask what it was, he felt himself being filled by Kaiba's length. His vision went white as the brunet made love to him, his eyes welling with tears of joy as he felt cherished and safe and whole in Kaiba's arms. And, when he lifted his gaze to stare into the handsome face above him, and saw the deep, sapphire eyes glistening in return, his restraint finally broke. His voice thick with emotion, Jou reached his plateau, crying out the brunet's name as he cascaded over the edge in a dreamy haze of pleasure.

A few moments later, Kaiba gave a sharp intake of breath, and in one final, perfect movement, he too found himself caught in a kaleidoscope of swirling colours and intoxicating sensations. With murmured endearments and soft kisses, the brunet felt himself slowly returning to earth, and as he smiled at the smaller form beneath him, he felt…euphoric. Wordlessly, he stretched himself out against the blond, gently draping one arm across Jou's chest while he brushed the sweat-damp locks from Jou's flushed cheeks with the other.

"Wow," Jou purred, a contented smile on his lips. "Just…wow."

"I'll say," the brunet replied with a gentle chuckle, shivering slightly in the cooler air of the room. "How about we continue this discussion upstairs?" He leaned forward and claimed another slow, sweet kiss, finding the taste intoxicating and erotic and addictive all at once. As he pulled away, he whispered sensually, "Well? What do you say?"

With a sultry nod, the blond climbed to his feet, only to sigh resignedly as he looked out the window. "On second thought, I'd better not, Seto. The snow's really starting to come down, and if I don't head out now, I might wind up stuck here."

Kaiba let out a dark, sinister chuckle as he, too, got to his feet and pulled Jou into his arms. "Gee, now _that_ would be a shame," he purred as he deliberately kissed his way down the blond's throat, stopping at his collarbone and harshly nipping at the tender flesh. "You know, only an idiot would be out driving when the biggest winter storm warning of the year was in effect; that's why I took the snowmobile." 

Jou shivered in delight as Kaiba's laugh rumbled through his frame. "You're sick; you know that, right?" the blond teased, pressing himself closer to the taller man.

"Very," the brunet purred, reveling in the warmth of the body against him. "But I was obviously good enough – you're here." As he leaned down for a deep, hungry kiss, he idly wondered if he could convince Jounouchi that the snow would not let up until after the New Year…maybe not even until July.


End file.
